Ten sailors missing as US destroyer collides with oil and chemical tanker

THE US NAVY has said ten sailors are reported missing and five injured after the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain collided with merchant vessel Alnic MC east of the Strait of Malacca.

There are currently ten Sailors missing and five injured. Four of the injured were medically evacuated to a hospital in Singapore with  non-life threatening injuries.

Search and rescue efforts are underway in coordination with local authorities.

The US destroyer sustained damage to her after port side and is currently sailing under its own power and heading to Changi Naval Base. 

USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. It is part of the Seventh Fleet, and its homeport is the Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan. The ship is part of Destroyer Squadron 15.

Alnic MC is a Liberian-flagged 600-foot oil and chemical tanker with a gross tonnage of 30,000.

It is the second incident of its type in recently. In June there was a collision between the USS Fitzgerald and a Philippine-flagged merchant ship off the coast of Japan.

US President Donald Trump tweeted:

Thoughts & prayers are w/ our @USNavy sailors aboard the #USSJohnSMcCain where search & rescue efforts are underway. https://t.co/DQU0zTRXNU

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2017